Where are the explorers?

[Robert E]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

Millions of dollars are spent every year on boats , most them are made in plastic and a big portion of them are catamarans with dangerous , unseaworthy layout , thousands of people joining sailing just for the status of it and cruising from marina to marina , motoring .
Boats hard to manoeuvre under sail or even unmaneuverable in case of some catamarans .
Builders and designers follow this trend making lower quality boats that just look nice , but they are not capable to safely carry the crew on a tough situation but this is not what it worries me .
What is worying me is , why nobody is exploring ? Most of boats are sailing in the tropics following the route from gib to Caribbean and all around but only a few visit more exotic and remote places , o my a few going to a country just to explore its culture and lifestyle if there is no marina , and far more fewer going to not well charted waters.

Why this is happening ? I see people with the right budget and a good boat and skill but they never go out of the comfort sailing zone and it really bothers.me .

I would suggest you consider broadening your definition of exploration. There are many ways and places to explore. Our 10 month round trip to Mexico from Portland, Oregon with our 4 and 14 yr. old boys was an exploration for us. As were each of the 11 cruises into the northern waters of Washington and British Columbia. Not Borneo, but explorations and learning experiences. I agree with you and Bob Perry, that many modern designs are more suited to marinas than rough weather and offshore passages. Our Norseman 447 was a true blue water boat and we were grateful she was on more than one occasion.

[Siberian Sea]

I’m happy all these boats clump together and often sail in a group from one tourist trap to another. I go to the hard more difficult places that have yet to be overrun buy charter vessels and the Jimmy Buffett dreaming types.
If your seeking the more intrepid sailors then you just need to avoid places like the Caribbean. Like flee powder on an infected dog hurricanes pass through there each season and washes away many but...... there seems to be an endless supply of folks who trade their RV motor home parked in a Wal-Mart lot for a Clorox bottle Cat and off they go to push their way into the anchorage all fighting for that spot next to the beach bar with its jetty.
Don’t be upset with these people rather revel in the fact that most never step beyond their small comfort zone and as such will not screw up everywhere.

[Taipe]

Originally Posted by Bob Morane

Shouldn't an explorer be happy that most people stick to their comfort zone ?
It leaves more room for them to explore pristine and unspoiled places.

With almost 8 billions people on the planet and as someone who loves going off the tracks, I'm thankful that there are still 'remote' places where you can get a feeling of exploration.

This won't be true for long thought.

Absolutely!! And, I know of a very special place to sail to that has to be a piece of heaven on earth, ..a place I rarely speak with others about. Even though it tempts me greatly to share the experience, I fear it would contribute to it's demise.

The problem is not so much that yachties don't want to go exploring (we can't all be a Sir Ernest Shakleton) as it is to see a program by a video journalist who films an unpopulated, unspoiled, wild garden of Eden and then sell it to every publisher and video stream outlet that will pay the way to their next discovery.
They may project themselves as naturalists, but I see them as modern day conquistadors.

[GoldenRose]

i woul would like nothing more, My dream is the Northwest Passge. And then a trip to Antarctica. I have a 92 ft aumininum hull motor yacht in Mexico that I would like to exchange for a expedition yacht for a few months to do this.
Unfortunately my vessel doesnt have the range. I have some experience but would welcome crew who might want to share the adventure and expenses
Any interest ???

[fatherchronica]

Unless you sink and discover an unknown sea floor canyon, or your ship is a space ship there isn't anywhere you could go first anymore. Unless you are saying something like " we were exploring this beach", which by that definition you could be in Malibu. But, and it is a big but, if you are wondering whether people are sailing the Northwest Passage or going to Antarctica or up the Amazon they are and a lot of them by old timey standards. I bet Bill Tilman would have been flabbergasted by the crowds in Patagonia or Greenland now.

[MLOI]

Exploration can happen on a more macro level as well.
I have a fairly typical production boat, and sail to fairly typical Australian East coast destinations. But I like looking around underwater, so seek out places that I have seen no information about, and then go look at what is there.

Most of the time I 'discover' that no-one dives there because it's not that interesting - ie it's likely that someone else has also had a look there, and then, like me, said nothing about it because there is nothing to say. Occasionally I have spent a lot of time and money diving an interesting sonar image just to discover quite a boring reef. Sometimes it's even worse and I discover that sand at 80m looks much the same as sand at 20m - but at least I can say that I'm the only one to have looked at that particular piece of sand...

I also developed an interest in cave diving for a while - which kinda waned as I got used to the politely bored expression of friends as I tried to convince them just how exciting this new piece of wet rock was.

Mike

[scarlet]

I think this is one of the silliest, judgemental and narrow minded post I have ever read here. I think the other posters have responded brilliantly, and there is nothing I can add. So, instead, I'm going to head out to my tiny lake to explore one little cove that I have only been to once or twice... can't wait to enjoy exploring it on my tiny, low performance, simple sail pan boat. In fact, I'm may get really adventurous and bring a different brand of beer with me.. lol...

Carry on!

Carry on!

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by Mike OReilly

Seems to me there are a couple of discussions at play here. One is the more specific question about current mass-market boat design. The other is a broader, almost philosophical, discussion about the notion of "exploration."

On the former issue my observation is that the market is simply responding to the demand. Most boaters now prioritize comfort and ease of use. Mass market boat design reflects this demand. Neither right or wrong ... it is what most people want.

The whole "exploration" question seems more complex, and probably more personal. First off, I doubt there are fewer explorers in today's population than in the past. Those who venture off the edges of the map have always been few.

But the other aspect of this is the notion of exploration. To me, this is as much an internal endeavour as some sort of Mt. Everest ascension.

There is wonder and beauty everywhere. There is no need to traipse around the world in search of some new frontier seems to fundamentally miss the point -- at least to me.

There is now this "bucket list" mentality amongst some, where you've got to "see" this or that have a live a life worth living. This, to me, is far more problematic than some diminishment of explorers.

This "bucket list" thing is also abit bazaar to me, although I acknowledge I may suffer a little bit of it myself. Social conditioning I guess.

We seem to miss the living of the experience by achieving the experience! The focus is on the ticking it off the list rather than being in it.

Fear of missing out seems to be the driving force behind the needing to tick things off, or maybe achieving Facebook likes is the driver?

I find it interesting when I get labelled lazy for wanting to sit and enjoy rather that climb the biggest hill near by purely to say "I climbed that hill".

[scarlet]

Originally Posted by daletournier

This "bucket list" thing is also abit bazaar to me, although I acknowledge I may suffer a little bit of it myself. Social conditioning I guess.

We seem to miss the living of the experience by achieving the experience! The focus is on the ticking it off the list rather than being in it.

Fear of missing out seems to be the driving force behind the needing to tick things off, or maybe achieving Facebook likes is the driver?

I find it interesting when I get labelled lazy for wanting to sit and enjoy rather that climb the biggest hill near by purely to say "I climbed that hill".

A "bucket list" in nothing more than a list of dreams. There is nothing wrong with having dreams, and fulfilling them is a beautiful thing. And, in my case, I received no satisfaction in "ticking" things off my list.. the satisfaction came from living something I dreamed of my whole life.

Have you ever had a bucket list and did one of your bucket list items? I have done several, actually. One of my bucket list items was to swim with dolphins... I've dreamed of doing it for years). I had an opportunity to do it a couple of years ago. It was such an incredible experience... I had so much joy experiencing it, that I actually cried tears of joy. One of the best things I ever did in my entire life.

Another one was a dream I had since I was a little girl. I dreamed.. (for 40 years) of going to venice and taking a ride on a gondola.. complete with the gondola oarsman singing italian love songs. I finally had that dream come true a few years back, and it was everything I had imagined and more. and I never went back, even and "ticked" it off my list...

I have a couple of dozen things on my "bucket (dreams) list"... and every time I am lucky enough to experience one... it's incredible.

[Mike OReilly]

It's not having a dream I chafe at. It's the whole commerilazation, or consumerisation, of the adventure of life. It's this "20 Places You Must See Before Death," or "100 Must Visit Places." This sort of crap...

Seems to me there's a whole swath of "experience tourism" marketed to bored people who work too hard and therefor are rich in cash and poor in time and spirit. They want to collect "experiences", all with the requisite selfies and Facebook posts. Get it, then move on to the next item on the list.

There is wonder and beauty almost everywhere in this world. You don't have to chase around the world to find it. The real adventure is inward bound.

[daletournier]

Originally Posted by scarlet

A "bucket list" in nothing more than a list of dreams. There is nothing wrong with having dreams, and fulfilling them is a beautiful thing. And, in my case, I received no satisfaction in "ticking" things off my list.. the satisfaction came from living something I dreamed of my whole life.

Have you ever had a bucket list and did one of your bucket list items? I have done several, actually. One of my bucket list items was to swim with dolphins... I've dreamed of doing it for years). I had an opportunity to do it a couple of years ago. It was such an incredible experience... I had so much joy experiencing it, that I actually cried tears of joy. One of the best things I ever did in my entire life.

Another one was a dream I had since I was a little girl. I dreamed.. (for 40 years) of going to venice and taking a ride on a gondola.. complete with the gondola oarsman singing italian love songs. I finally had that dream come true a few years back, and it was everything I had imagined and more. and I never went back, even and "ticked" it off my list...

I have a couple of dozen things on my "bucket (dreams) list"... and every time I am lucky enough to experience one... it's incredible.

I'm one of the few fortunate ones that lives his dream daily.

While living my dream I regularly get passed by "bucket list" cruisers circumnavigating in two years etc. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just our motives for cruising are different. I want to sip my coffee in the morning and enjoy my time. I accept I can't see and do everything, and I don't feel I need to.

[Jim Cate]

I'm one of the few fortunate ones that lives his dream daily.

While living my dream I regularly get passed by "bucket list" cruisers circumnavigating in two years etc. There's nothing wrong with that, it's just our motives for cruising are different. I want to sip my coffee in the morning and enjoy my time. I accept I can't see and do everything, and I don't feel I need to.

To me, this is the essence of cruising... a practice of life that some learn to do, some don't. Those who don't suffer pangs because you just can't do it ALL, and the sadness of the things not done interferes with the enjoyment of the things that you have done.

So, well done Dale! It took me quite a few years to understand this aspect of our lifestyle.

Jim

[NevilleCat]

Down in Aus the exploring seems to be taken on by younger (sometimes quite young) couples who have very low budgets.
Sometimes from non-sailing backgrounds they sometimes have little patience with the attendant traditional mystical nautical nonsense except where it relates to safety and are prepared to strike out on their own and soak up as much as they can of their surroundings, using the vessel as a means to get off the beaten track a bit.
Having a great grasp of technology and how to use their video vlogs to help fund their lifestyle they sometimes have some spectacular videos on youtube for armchair sailors or to help in yr own research of certain areas.
Here are some of my favourites;

Sailing Nandj

Sailing Nandji;
a young hippie surfer couple who traveled Aus living in a bus then decided to buy an old boat and expand their horizons. Now in Papua New Guinea.

Free Range Sailing

Free Range Sailing;
A couple cruising from West Australia across the top in a very small 30' Clansman. These guys really know what they're doing. With their pasts involving many different practical jobs they are worth watching as they impart all sorts of incredibly practical information about fishing especially, and cooking and provisioning and all sorts of things if you want to stay "out there" for a long while.

Sailing Tangaroa

Sailing Tangaroa (Hannah Taylor on You Tube)
Couple from Sth Australia sailed west and up the West coast, surfing, snorkeling and sailing a Wharram cat. The drone footage of swimming with sharks in a massive "bait ball" off the Ningaloo reef and exploring the West Coast Islands is spectacular.
There are others like

Sailing Catalpa

Sailing Catalpa; a family who bought an old ferro boat and, with no budget, are cruising with two kids in Indonesia. They love to dive so lots of great reef footage too.

[MWhite]

I see that you are in Greece and wonder if the culture of cruising there is any different from here in the United States (where there aren't very many places where you can be an explorer in the way you are using the word). Lots of people just want to be on the water and feel safe and 'at home' so the kinds of boats you refer to are great for them. I think there are a lot of explorers out there on boats, but they aren't always on youtube channels and don't necessarily have blogs. They are more into their own sense of adventure than advertising themselves. We meet a lot of those types in our own 'explorations' by boat. We explore on our own terms and rarely stay in marinas. I think exploration is very personal and going someplace new, going against the current of all the many boats out there, is about as much exploring as some people can do. I get what you are saying about how many people just follow the crowd and that's fine with me. That means that small little anchorage I want will probably be uncrowded.

[jrau18]

Originally Posted by gmakhs

Millions of dollars are spent every year on boats , most them are made in plastic and a big portion of them are catamarans with dangerous , unseaworthy layout , thousands of people joining sailing just for the status of it and cruising from marina to marina , motoring .
Boats hard to manoeuvre under sail or even unmaneuverable in case of some catamarans .
Builders and designers follow this trend making lower quality boats that just look nice , but they are not capable to safely carry the crew on a tough situation but this is not what it worries me .
What is worying me is , why nobody is exploring ? Most of boats are sailing in the tropics following the route from gib to Caribbean and all around but only a few visit more exotic and remote places , o my a few going to a country just to explore its culture and lifestyle if there is no marina , and far more fewer going to not well charted waters.

Why this is happening ? I see people with the right budget and a good boat and skill but they never go out of the comfort sailing zone and it really bothers.me .

Sailing in warm Waters is immediately enjoyable. Also while it can be as dangerous as anywhere, the worst dangers come rarely and generally with warning. One of the biggest draws of the caribbean is probably the easy flights and really accessible Internet (even if it can be slow) over the cell networks.

But I think your confusion over why people have boats capable of much more than "just island hopping" is misplaced. The caribbean might be rough for only a small percentage of the time, but a boat should be capable of the worst weather you can expect to not be able to avoid. That is going to drive a boat being used way below its potential most of the time and that percentage goes up somewhere like the caribbean, especially with modern weather forecasting.

I also think your consternation over so few explorers is misplaced. How many explorers were there 100 years ago? I would submit there were very few, and that we've all read their books. I think that there are far more explorers today.

There are far more recreational sailors than any time in the past as well. I would bet that as a percentage of recreational sailors, the number you would call "explorers" is probably similar. Most of the explorers just aren't making shiny youtube videos and begging for money on patreon, so they're not as "in your face."

Just my thoughts.